-----Original Message-----
From: ne-svt@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 12:31 PM
To: ne-svt@googlegroups.com
Subject: NE-SVT: Harnesses

Everyone (especially guys) who use a harness should look at this (some graphic images, be warned, may be NSFW, but is still important to read).

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science? ... 4efd9af52e783895ccdb#fig1

This is one of those images that you won't soon forget (and shouldn't). In light of this, I'd like to start a discussion on harnesses. I just spent a considerable amount of money on seats for my Lotus so that I could run the OEM lap belts. I currently have a Willans 4 point harness. I've read that 4 point harnesses (without ASM) can be dangerous and that many places require 5 or 6 point harnesses. Having seen the above link, I'm not sure I really want to run a 5/6 pt. On the other, other hand, I know that my 4-pt harness (both the Willans I currently have and the Scroth that I used to have) both ride up to high when tightened (this can also cause serious internal injury/death). I also really like the way that my 4-pt harness holds me in place.

So, what is the collective wisdom (4-pt., 5/6 pt. or OEM belts)? I'm not opposed to spending money on my safety, but I just want to make sure I do what is best.

I'm kind of leaning towards just using the OEM belts. The new seats I bought have a lot of support, so I'm somewhat hopeful that I won't need the "bracing" of the harness to hold me in place. They are also a lot easier to live with while driving on the street.

-Paul
(although my "buddies" are now "mission accomplished," I still want them around)

CentralCoaster wrote:
The lap belt rides too high on me.

CentralCoaster wrote:
This needs a bigger warning.

Link shows closeups of a guy who almost lost his nuts. (Yes, those nuts).

Click on them to enlarge if you really want to lose your appetite.

BillH wrote:


So damn many people have their belts adjusted wrong anyway, it's scary. BUT, not as scary as a 4 point belt.

Mekanic wrote:
Exactly Bill. Its not just the fact that you have a good seat or a good belt, proper installation angles are KEY.

BillH wrote:
I'm not sure I understand your question correctly Matthew.

I'll try an answer, let me know if it's something else.

The injurys to this guy could be caused by multiple things. My first guess is that the belts were too loose. My second guess is that the belts were impropery installed specific to the mounting locations.

Many guys get a 5 or 6 point seup and think they can wear the belts at the tension they wear their street belts at.
Many guys just use whatever bolts are already available on the car to fit the harness and those locations can be incorrect.
There are specific ways that the lapbelt should be installed and a specific point on your hips that it should cross. The antisub belts should control the location of the lapbelt (up or down) when the shoulderharness belts are pulled very tight.
Both the lap and shoulder bets should be very, very tight.

There are baffons like this guy Paul who think different seats will hold them in enough.
Using 6 point belts with stock seats isn't a very good idea either.

PJK wrote:
I never stated or implied that different seats would eliminate the need for a proper belt set up.

Jeffvette wrote:

The crotch belts purpose and only purpose is to help hold down the lap portion after you have cinched down the shoulder belts. Your crotch should never touch the submarine belt in an accident period. All the movement and flex that you want is in the hips and the belts themselves. Hence the reason why you should replace your belts after an accident.